Be
Your Own Pet
Get Awkward
***
Be
Your Own Pet may now have a bit more life experience in their
young lives, but on the evidence of sophomore album Get Awkward
they are no where near ‘maturing’ – and thank
god.
Get Awkward is packed full of the same bratty, tantalisingly-short,
no nonsense garage-punk that made their debut such a kick in
the balls.
Subtle this isn’t – primal beats, discordant three-chord
riffs and Jemina Pearl’s screeching, manic yet soulful
vocals bring a full on punk-rock assault that doesn’t
let up over the albums 14 tracks, which come in at just 33 minutes
long.
Redd Kross veteran Steve McDonald’s production reigns
the band in a little, helping them to smooth off some of the
rough edges apparent on the debut, which both works to improve
the overall impact of the tracks but also removes some of the
energy that made the band stand out.
The band have obviously improved their trade and have improved
their musicianship and song-writing, which now, at times, verges
on classic pop – which whilst still being in-your-face
has an accessible and danceable edge.
‘The Kelly Affair’ for example is classic rock n
roll cranked up to 11, with a wonderfully soulful vocal performance
from Pearl. In contrast the 45-second ‘Blow Yr Mind’
is frantic hardcore at its best.
‘Food Fight’ could be a modern day Black Flag stomper,
with ‘Blummer Time’ sounding like a soul-filled
Bouncing Souls cover – BYOP are modern purveyors of punk
history condensed.
Get Awkward is not big, it is not clever…but it is the
best recent example of punk-rock abandon.
by
Chris Marks
